The 2026 World Cup fantasy football is nearly over, but not before you give a few final samples of your expertise. Looking to win in the Semi-Finals stage? Let me try to help!
I’ve been covering the tournament and offering selection tips throughout. In fact, I’ve been writing these kinds of articles for nearly a decade. This is why I am fairly confident that I can recommend which players you need on your team and which you ought to avoid.
Remember this free 2026 Fantasy Football World Cup contest where you’ll challenge the best fantasy managers and, possibly, end up winning some actual prizes.
World Cup Fantasy Picks: Semi-Finals
Because there are only two games to pick from, we’ll try something different. I’ll include players from the four teams for the “Locks,” “Wild Cards”, and “Enablers” categories and mix them up.
France – Spain
These two are the most impressive teams in the tournament, in my opinion. They’re also the only two remaining teams that don’t look absolutely shattered.
France is the favourite to win, sure. But I think that Spain, when forced, can absolutely match the French in terms of flair and efficiency.
England – Argentina
Both these teams were lucky to qualify from the Quarter-Finals. While the South Americans have their talisman, Lionel Messi, available, England has a greater advantage. Both teams look physically drained, but the English have slightly more youthful players.
That’s a detail worth keeping in mind when choosing players for the final stages of the fantasy football World Cup.
The “Locks”
Let’s start with the goalie. In theory, Pickford‘s the one who’s managed the most points. But that’s deceiving. Some of that is due to playing more minutes than the others. Plus, the Englishman’s frequent errors aren’t exactly reflected in the points average.
Simon should be your first pick! Don’t be frightened by the marquee names in the French side’s attacking setup. The Spanish goalie can handle it.
Maignan is the runner-up and, likely, your substitute pick. Emi Martinez is a distant third.
When it comes to the defence, Cubarsi and Laporte have been simply sensational. Picking them is an easy choice.
Speaking of defenders who’ve routinely earned a lot of points, take a moment to consider Kounde. I confess to not being a fan regularly. However, his stats indicate he is one of the stronger defensive picks in World Cup fantasy football.
There is also no doubt about either Saliba or Upamecano.
Olise has been one of the best midfielders in the competition and deserves to be picked regardless of effort. His assist record alone shows that.
Dembele, Doue and Mbappe are all great. But if you had to pick one name for a game like Spain, I’d choose Dembele.
Speaking about the Argentinians, E. Fernandez, Mac Allister, and De Paul are all deserving of a chance.
Messi should be pretty knackered by this point, but can still get in the team, slightly, ahead of Alvarez. In fact, if your budget can handle it, Messi can be your top striker choice (ahead of Dembele of Kane).
Moving on to England, there’s no debating that Bellingham has had a great tournament in terms of goals, stats and fantasy football points. Pick him!
Anderson is the other clear starter on this England side.
The “Wild Cards”
Cucurella has had a few good performances, but also matches where he didn’t shine. Still, his attacking contribution makes him a strong pick.
Porro‘s stats also make him a contender. Just remember that the Tottenham wing-back appears as a midfielder in games like FootballCoin.
Lisandro Martinez and Romero have put in impressive numbers. They shine in the Argentine shirt more so than at club level. These things mean that they can be considered for selection.
Paredes makes things happen, even if it means getting kicked by the opposition and forcing them to earn a red card.
O’Reilly has managed to own the left-back position for England. He makes for a strong choice. Stones is also in that conversation.
However, Rice and Kane‘s fitness levels are becoming a concern. They did well earlier in the tournament, but may struggle against Argentina.
The “Enablers”
Ruiz, Olmo and Baena are capable of moments of brilliance. They’ve also racked up points because of Spain’s possession stats and victories. Having said that, I think that there are better players in their position.
Spain’s lone striker, Oyarzabal, is also a strange one. His movement makes a lot of Spain’s attacks possible. But, unless he scores (which doesn’t happen very often), he will not score a lot of points in fantasy football.
Digne has earned his spot in this stellar French side. But he’s not done enough to suggest that he should be your main defensive pick.
Kone isn’t likely to score for France. However, most attacks pass through him and the defensive midfielder has been known to take long-range shots. Eventually, one of those could end in a goal.
Molina does well enough to earn a place in the Argentine team. It’s just too bad that there are more exciting options available.
England’s Gordon is a bit of a risk for your selection. But, if you’re one midfielder short, you could do worse.
The “Costly Mistakes”
What I saw from Pickford against Norway in the Quarter-Finals doesn’t lend much confidence. I think that he’s a player that you can do without in an important contest like this. If only Thomas Tuchel would do the same…
Rabiot does pull the French midfield together. However, he’s an expensive pick, and there are other midfielders with a greater chance of scoring.
It’s impressive to see Tagliafico back in the Argentina squad and fighting for a World Cup medal. However, his lack of speed and vision makes me think you can do better unless you’re desperate for a deal (Tagliafico is a 2* player in FootballCoin).
On the other hand, Madueke has the speed, sure, but he’ll struggle to make the right decision against a compact Argentina defence.
Set-Piece & Penalty Matrix
| Matchup | Team | Penalties | Free Kicks | Corners |
| Spain vs. France | Spain | Mikel Oyarzabal | Pedri | Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal |
| France | Kylian Mbappé | Michael Olise | Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé | |
| England vs. Argentina | England | Harry Kane | Declan Rice | Declan Rice |
| Argentina | Lionel Messi | Lionel Messi | Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul |
